The runner-up for my author photo.
My longer bio:
Tony Padegimas has been an obvious and unapologetic nerd all of his life. He is also a geek and a wonk and he knows the difference. He has held close to 40 jobs. His non fiction writing chronicles sports, fitness, historical curiosities, technical theater (his day job), the inside guts of buildings and other topics by assignment. He has two hiking guides on the shelf, and has gained an expert level knowledge of camping in a hammock while researching them.
His historical fantasy novel, Beanstalk and Beyond is available from Mystic Publishers
His day-job involves programming light switches (this is a thing people do) for RC Lurie in Phoenix. He also still dabbles in technical theater, particularly lighting, which he did full time for nearly 30 years. In his estimation, he drinks too much coffee and not nearly enough beer. He lives in Phoenix with his wife of 28 years, two children and a rotating cast of domestic mammals. He is, by his own reckoning, the second most famous Padegimas on the internet.
I can be reached at Xenos850 at gmail dot com, or by commenting below. I am always interested in assignments.
What Have We Learned? 
Hey. Like the idea. I’ve started and stopped a blog so many times (4), because of the seemingly futile nature of it. Then I start thinking too much and get stuck in a thought loop, get depressed and fed up with staring at my screen. Doesn’t make much sense without more explanation. Anyhow, have to this subscribed in Reader, so I’ll catch the updates. I actually do have a photoblog that I don’t really tell anyone about. Sort of a here are my favorite pictures sort of thing. Kind of did it just for me to make it easier for me to weed through the large quantity of pictures I take and look at the few that I really like that aren’t just pictures of my kids. http://willmarkstersphotos.blogspot.com/. Look how special you are. You just became the first person to get that.
I actually had a couple others going for a while. One similar to yours (kind of). Just a blog of useful things I’ve learned and done and thought I should share. But, of course, if no one reads it why write it? Writing is therapeutic. Well if I’m doing it for therapy isn’t a journal type of thing better for me? Why the hell would I want to put a journal on the internet? Who would care about that. I should put something useful that contributes. Maybe one sharing things I know and have learned. But, of course, if not one reads it…
See that’s what I’m talking about.
Does it matter where I buy your book from? It’s listed on Amazon.com and I all ready have the infrastructure in place there. If it does let me know.
How much can I type here? Maybe I should move this to an email. I don’t even know where this is going.
Enjoy,
Mark Kinsey
Congrats on the book and publishing, Tony. I look forward to using it some day. Hope you guys are all doing well down there.
S.
Please buy my book wherever it is most convenient for you to do so. I get paid the same regardless.
I wanted to learn WordPress without a great deal of public scrutiny. Eventually, I’ll have to generate sites specifically to promote my published work, and I want those to look at least competent.
I chose this approach because its easy and Fun. At this writing, I’m starting to get 10 hits a day (probably all friends of mine) which is more than I expected less than a week in. Of course, they could all disappear without notice…
I was actually getting some traffic on the Bongo sites, before Yahoo and I lost track of each other’s codes, and I lost the ability to update the site.
Then, sadly, I lost Bongo. [weeping… weeping…]
So if you find a plastic Hasbro gorilla in the southern Superstition Mountains, its’ probably Bongo. Returning t is worth a free book.
Tony
Tony – Please contact us. We’re having a heck of a time finding you. Janie stopped by with the boys in August but you were out.
I have a plan…next book: Tongass national Forest!
Tom
Hi Tony,
While web-searching for an old friend, Jeff Nored, that I had lost touch with many years ago, I came across what appears to be a memorial poem written by you in honor of Jeff. Since Jeff worked in the theatrical lighting business the last time we were in contact (at ASU) it made sense to me that your poem was about my friend. Jeff and I attended Jr and High School together in Tempe and I know Jeff was a hiker and very sweet soul. If in fact the poem was in memory of Jeff and you able to share any details about Jeff with me, I would greatly appreciated knowing what happened to him. The thought that Jeff is gone is truly sad and if you were his friend, thank you for writing the poem. He deserves no less. Take care — Margie
Margie,
If you speak of “Ghostlight”, I did, indeed write and read that for Jeff’s memorial service. I worked closely with Jeff at Gammage and then later at the Dodge Theatre for Rhino. He was, in many ways, my mentor.
Jeff Nored passed away a few years ago. I’m not blowing you off; I’m just trying to put together accurate facts (like which year – it was either 2001 or 2002) before I post anything definitive here – but that is on The List.
Tony
Tony,
In additional searching I found a death notice for Jeff in the ASU Alumni Newsletter. They listed the date as August 16, 2002. No cause listed however. It is such a long time ago, I feel rather odd – actually I don’t know what to feel about it. Such a shame to lose touch with people – such a waste.
I met Jeff in Jr. High and we stayed friends through high school and college. In high school we were both in theater and that is where Jeff started doing theatrical lighting and tech. During college he worked for a lot of concerts and was a roadie and toured a few times. It was very cool to have my friend touring with Bill Graham or Barry Fey Productions. I remember a particularly great Who concert where Jeff was running the light, he had such a deft touch with a spot. And then the Rolling Stones Concert at Sun Devil Stadium that became “Ladies and Gentlemen the Rolling Stones” movie. Jeff had called me that day (before cell phones) to let me know they needed females to dress up for the Honky Tonk Woman number. He did not reach me, but our friend Allison can be seen for a few minutes on stage dancing next to Mick Jagger. I have so many memories of Jeff, mostly quiet ones, just talking, listening to music. Years and years of great memories.
We started to lose touch when I moved to Tucson in 1987. I heard a few things about Jeff through our mutual friend Susan Johnson Hood, but I have since lost touch with Susie as well. I can call her that as we were roommates in college. Again, a loss and not quite sure what to do about it. A few contacts in the 1990s and then not much since 2001. Getting married and having a family will do that sometimes.
Enter the internet. A great way to find things out, perhaps stay in touch – perhaps not. It’s a sad way to learn that a part of your life is gone.
So – what is left to say? If you can tell me how Jeff died, I would like to know. Also if he is buried or has ashes scattered somewhere? Since Jeff liked to hike I would not be surprised if he has ashes scattered along a trail.
Thanks for taking the time to read and respond to me. I appreciate the effort and I am sorry if my bringing this up now causes you any pain. Hopefully enough time has passed for you and all you have are great memories too.
Margie
Hi Tony,
My husband and I are theatrical technicians who are moving back to Phoenix in a few weeks, and would love to start an email/grab lunch one day conversation about hammock camping in the area. Let me know if you’re available for an email string or a chat. You can reach me at lblack@bu.edu
I am also easy to find on Facebook.